DISCLAIMER: This is a review of a UFO documentary I rented on Amazon. I have been studying the UFO and UAO phenomenon for decades, ever since an encounter I had as a child. I’m not looking to debate the phenomenon. If you think I fell on my head as a kid, or did too many drugs in college, that’s your right, But if you’re here to mock those who are involved or believe, don’t let the door hit you in the ass. Now, let’s continue.
“Hunt for the Skinwalker” is a new documentary available from Orchard productions. It has the same name as a book, done by reporter George Knapp and Dr. Colm Kellher. It’s done by a filmmaker named Jeremy Corbell, who seems to specialize in UFO and conspiracy theory films, judging from his iMDB listings.
For those unfamiliar with the subject matter, Skinwalker Ranch, or Shaw Ranch as it’s legally known, claims to be the “most studied paranormal hotspot” in the world. ” It’s been a source of constant UFO sightings for decades, but has also had documented cattle mutilations, poltergeists, and strange creature sightings. The term “Skinwalker Ranch” appears to be given due to local Native Americans claiming the ranch land is part of the path of a skinwalker, a creature who exists in numerous legends across North America. A skinwalker is a shape changing human who can change into any animal shape, generally by covering themselves in its skin.
Skinwalker Ranch really entered the UFO community’s view when George Knapp published the aforementioned book in 2005. Knapp originally rose to UFO stardom by being the first person to talk to Bob Lazar, the man who claimed to help reverse engineer UFO’s at Area 51 back in the late 80’s.
The movie starts off slow, with a problem I’m finding prevalent in UFO and conspiracy documentaries and books: lack of focus on the subject. The first ten minutes of the movie start in December 2017, with the mass media attention paid to two video recordings of UFO’s made by the military being released to the government. We’re introduced to George Knapp, who is in this movie often, since most of it is based either in his reporting or video footage he shot. Knapp is cagey about why he’s sat on this footage all this time, a question that doesn’t ever get answered.
The connection to be made between this event and the ranch is billionaire Robert Bigelow. Bigelow buys Skinwalker Ranch in the 90’s, and uses his money to move in scientists to study all the “high weirdness” going on at the ranch. Bigelow is also involved in To The Stars, the company that helped get the UFO footage released, though that company, and it’s celebrity originator, aren’t ever mentioned in the film.
What follows is a melange of video accounts, mostly eyewitness and some of George Knapp’s video reports he made when he started investigating the ranch. He’s interviewed repeatedly, as is Colm Kellherd and one other physicist from the ranch.
People expecting a straight forward documentary will be roundly disappointed. It’s as if Corbell was trying to recreate the strangeness of the ranch. Stories are presented with not much attention to detail or time stamps, unless they happen to be on the video. The interviews are well shot, if light on pressing questions. By example, a physicist talks about two men seeing something crawl out of a wormhole,but never names them. A separate video clip names the men. Why aren’t they ever interviewed?
As a piece of art, this films succeeds. It’s as a journalist that I find fault with the movie. I kept wondering why Robert Bigelow, who owned the ranch for a decade, was never interviewed during the film. Then he shows up to answer one question, and vanishes. Why? A shadowy figure is seen in footage that was in the film and trailer, and yet is never explained or commented on.
The end part of the movie includes the part I was most excited about, the supposed new footage with the current owner of the ranch, and sadly, it’s rather disappointing. I can understand hiding his identity, but there’s so many questions he should have been asked.
I realize part of the selling point of this movie was the hunt for the truth, and that so far, nobody really has any answers. But I think that Corbell was trying too hard to be mysterious and spooky in tone, and thus got far more sizzle than steak,
I think there’s room for a serious documentary on Skinwalker, and there’s the skeleton of one here. But too much emphasis on style, and not substance, mars the impact of this movie. And the horrible editing does not help matters. The screen goes black at times, right in the middle of interviews. It’s supposed to be dramatic pauses, but it never works right. And there’s so much that could have been asked and answered to make this a compelling documentary. Why does the family leave in the 90’s? Why did Bigelow sell the ranch? Why did the new owner buy it?
In the end, folks who were hoping for a more in depth exploration of the Skinwalker Ranch mystery, or new compelling evidence, will be left wanting. If you want an interesting first take on the mystery, this is the film for you.
Three out of five stars.